New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-06
FOURTH CLASS MAILS ABOLISHED
A FATAL RULING FROM WASHINGTON.
SEw-YoEk MERCHANTS SEND PROTEST TO THE
POSI- OFFICE DEPA kTMENT.

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
Tor .ono lime the action OF tho Post Of1ce
Department in issuing order directing that post@
matter Of the class should be charged hrst class
postage, IL tho sender printed his or her trade or
occupa,on upon the package, has been the subject OF
earnest protest and denuncation. All merchants In
Nav York and other cities who send out samples or
an orders by mall are affected by this new rule,
except in cases where tho package containing
goods IA less than four pounds In weight
The act Of Congress bearing upon this matter reads as
follows -
"Upon any package Of matter OF the fourth class
tho sender may write or print his own name ana
address preceded by the word from" and there may
also BIO written printed the number and names OF
the articles incOscd; and tho sender therroi may
write or print upon attach TO any such articles by
tag or label, a mark, number, name or letter, Tor
purpose OF idcnrihcatlon.'
Under this act merchants have been accustomed to
nrnt upon tho wrappers and labels used on fourth
c,ass matter. after tho word from, their names.
tr,dcs or occupations, and addresses, together with
the request to return the package II not called for
within specified number Of days, 1t has heretofore
tccn tho ruling that the esgnacd trade or occupation
~ the sender served tho purpose of mcntihcatloh
but the Assistant AttOwcyEcnera for the POST OIcc
Department has made the discovery that such IA not
the case. making tons of printed labels and tags
belonging TO business of New DIRK. usess for
ANYTHING but old junk This decision, IN the opinion
of New-York merchants generally, Il absurd and I'M
warranted. Furthermore 1t Is foolish, because us
tendency j. TO reduce, not TO Increase the postal
revenues In every transaction wherc samples arc
requested by persons living at distance and goods
arc ordered there must aly be three four com
between the parties which pay first class,
or letter. postage II this business il destroyed al
this revenue will he lost to the Government But
the completely ridiculous character OF the interpre-
tatIon which Is enforced for the
first tlmo eight years after the pas
sage Of tic law. made striking when II Is known that
under this decision it is unlawful to place, either b.
writing by printing, address upon fourhclas'
postal package. This together with other absuriues
az, set forth in a protest which has been forwarded
to the Postmaster Genera over the signatures of the
following well known dry ods houses: r. H. Macy
& CO.. Enrich brothers, Stern Brothers. IeBouier
Brothers, II. ONcil 4 Cos simpson Crawford q Simp-
SON B. Altman Co, Lord gay Tor, James McCrccry
co.. Daniell son, Fox & Kelly, f. Ia Hey q CO., and
ncarn q Son.
WHY THE INV ORDER SHOULD CO.
Tho resentment OF tho order is asked In this protest
on the following grounds: That 1t il wholly I'M
warranted by law, that It Is prohblory in tho Of
fourthclass matter AMI DESTROYS that class altogether
by making II pay lrt-cass postage, that It viii, in
majority Of cases, Affect thirl-c matter the
az fourth class and that it denies right which has
never before been qucstloncd-thc right 10
write or print upon the face or sur
face Of the parcel package the
address Of tho party whom It Is desired TO send r.
Furthermore tho petitioners maintain, 10 send
samples class must lie paid, correspondents
will either have to pay tho increased cost merchants
will cease to use the mails for that purpose Thus
fourh-cla-s matter will greatly decrease I'm quantity.
lie Iucsts for samples IN the retail dry and fancy
good, trade result I'm expenditure is estimated
OF five cents each. This amount withdrawn from the
department revenues IN that branch alone would
naturally affect receipts materially ). The signeis say
,f II. ON